The Battle of Actium - Sep 02, 31 B.C. - HISTORY.com The Battle of Actium Publisher A+E Networks At the Battle of Actium, off the western coast of Greece, Roman leader Octavian wins a decisive victory against the forces of Roman Mark Antony and Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. Before their forces suffered final defeat, Antony and Cleopatra broke though the enemy lines and fled to Egypt, where they would commit suicide the following year. With the assassination of Roman dictator Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., Rome fell into civil war. To end the fighting, a coalition–the Second Triumvirate–was formed by three of the strongest belligerents. The triumvirate was made up of Octavian, Caesar’s great-nephew and chosen heir; Mark Antony, a powerful general; and Lepidus, a Roman statesman. The empire was divided among the three, and Antony took up the administration of the eastern provinces. Upon arriving in Asia Minor, he summoned Queen Cleopatra to answer charges that she had aided his enemies.

Cleopatra, ruler of Egypt since 51 B.C., had once been Julius Caesar’s lover and had borne him a child, who she named Caesarion, meaning “little Caesar.” Cleopatra sought to seduce Antony as she had Caesar before him, and in 41 B.C. arrived at Tarsus on a magnificent river barge, dressed as Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Successful in her efforts, Antony returned with her to Alexandria, where they spent the winter in debauchery. In 40 B.C., Antony returned to Rome and married Octavian’s sister Octavia in an effort to mend his increasingly strained relationship with Octavian. The triumvirate, however, continued to deteriorate. In 37 B.C. Antony separated from Octavia and traveled to the East, arranging for Cleopatra to join him in Syria. In their time apart, Cleopatra had borne him twins, a son and a daughter. According to Octavian’s propagandists, the lovers were then married, which violated the Roman law restricting Romans from marrying foreigners. Antony’s disastrous military campaign against Parthia in 36 B.C.

further reduced his prestige, but in 34 B.C. he was more successful against Armenia. To celebrate the victory, he staged a triumphal procession through the streets of Alexandria, in which Antony and Cleopatra sat on golden thrones, and their children were given imposing royal titles. Many in Rome, spurred on by Octavian, interpreted the spectacle as a sign that Antony intended to deliver the Roman Empire into alien hands. After several more years of tension and propaganda attacks, Octavian declared war against Cleopatra, and therefore Antony, in 31 B.C. Enemies of Octavian rallied to Antony’s side, but Octavian’s brilliant military commanders gained early successes against his forces. On September 2, 31 B.C., their fleets clashed at Actium in Greece. After heavy fighting, Cleopatra broke from the engagement and set course for Egypt with 60 of her ships. Antony then broke through the enemy line and followed her. The disheartened fleet that remained surrendered to Octavian. One week later, Antony’s land forces surrendered. Although they had suffered a decisive defeat, it was nearly a year before Octavian reached Alexandria and again defeated Antony.

In the aftermath of the battle, Cleopatra took refuge in the mausoleum she had had built for herself. Antony, informed that Cleopatra was dead, stabbed himself with his sword. Before he died, another messenger arrived, saying Cleopatra still lived. Antony was carried to Cleopatra’s retreat, where he died after bidding her to make her peace with Octavian. When the triumphant Roman arrived, she attempted to seduce him, but he resisted her charms. Rather than fall under Octavian’s domination, Cleopatra committed suicide on August 30, 31 B.C., possibly by means of an asp, a poisonous Egyptian serpent and symbol of divine royalty. Octavian then executed Cleopatra’s son, Caesarion, annexed Egypt into the Roman Empire, and used Cleopatra’s treasure to pay off his veterans. In 27 B.C., Octavian became Augustus, the first and arguably most successful of all Roman emperors. He ruled a peaceful, prosperous, and expanding Roman Empire until his death in 14 A.D. at the age of 75. Related Videos Battle of Actium - Mark Antony and Octavian approx.

400 ships, 19,000 men Mark Antony approx. 290 ships, 22,000 men Battle of Actium Overview: Following the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, the Second Triumvirate was formed between Octavian, Mark Antony , and Marcus Aerulius Lepidus to rule Rome. Moving quickly, the Triumvirate's forces crushed those of the conspirators Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42 BC. This done, it was agreed that Octavian, Caesar's legal heir, would rule the western provinces, while Antony would oversee the east. Lepidus, always the junior partner, was given North Africa. Over the next few years, tensions waxed and waned between Octavian and Antony. In an effort to heal the rift, Octavian's sister Octavia married Antony in 40 BC. Jealous of Antony's power, Octavian worked tirelessly to assert his position as Caesar’s legal heir and launched a massive propaganda campaign against his rival. In 37 BC, Antony married Caesar's former lover , Cleopatra VII of Egypt, without divorcing Octavia.

Doting on his new wife, he provided large land grants for her children and worked to expand his power base in the east. Through 32 BC the situation continued to deteriorate with Antony publically divorcing Octavia. In response, Octavian announced he had come into possession of Antony's will which affirmed Cleopatra's eldest son Caesarion as Caesar's true heir, granted large legacies to Cleopatra's children, and stated that Antony's body should be buried in the royal mausoleum in Alexandria next to Cleopatra. The will turned Roman opinion against Antony as they believed he was trying to install Cleopatra as the ruler of Rome. Using this as pretext for war, Octavian began assembling forces to attack Antony. Moving to Patrae, Greece, Antony and Cleopatra paused to await additional troops from his eastern client kings. An average general, Octavian entrusted his forces to his friend Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. A skilled veteran, Agrippa began aggressively raiding the Greek coast while Octavian moved east with the army. Led by Lucius Gellius Poplicola and Gaius Sosius, Antony's fleet concentrated in the Gulf of Ambracia near Actium.

While the enemy was in port, Agrippa took his fleet south and attacked Messenia disrupting Antony's supply lines. Arriving at Actium, Octavian established a position on the high ground north of the gulf. Attacks against Antony's camp to the south were easily repulsed. A stalemate ensued for several months as the two forces watched each other. Antony's support began to wane after Agrippa defeated Sosius in a naval battle and established a blockade off Actium. Cut off from supplies, some of Antony's officers began to defect. With his position weakening and Cleopatra agitating for a return to Egypt, Antony began planning for battle. The ancient historian Dio Cassius indicates that Antony was less inclined to fight and was in fact seeking a way to escape with his lover. Regardless, Antony's fleet emerged from the harbor on September 2, 31 BC. Antony's fleet was largely composed of massive galleys known as quinqueremes. Featuring thick hulls and bronze armor, his ships were formidable, but slow and hard to maneuver. Seeing Antony deploying, Octavian instructed Agrippa to lead the fleet in opposition.

Unlike Antony, Agrippa's fleet consisted of smaller, more maneuverable Liburnian warships. These smaller galleys lacked the power to ram and sink a quinquereme, but were fast enough to escape an enemy ramming attack. Moving towards each other, the battle soon began with three or four Liburnian vessels attacking each quinquereme. As the battle raged, Agrippa began extending his left with the goal of turning Antony's right flank. Lucius Policola, leading Antony's right wing, shifted outward to meet this threat. In doing so, his formation became detached from Antony's center and opened a gap. Seeing an opportunity, Lucius Arruntius, commanding Agrippa's center, plunged in with his ships escalating the battle. As neither side could ram, the usual means of naval attack, the fight effectively devolved into a land battle at sea. Fighting for several hours with each side attacking and retreating, neither was able to gain a decisive advantage. To the rear, Cleopatra became concerned about the course of the battle. Determining that she had seen enough, she ordered her squadron of sixty ships to put to sea. The actions of the Egyptians threw Antony's lines into disorder.

Stunned at his lover's departure, Antony quickly forgot the battle and sailed after his queen with forty ships. The departure of 100 ships doomed the Antonian fleet. While some fought on, others attempted to escape the battle. By late afternoon those that had remained surrendered to Agrippa. At sea, Antony caught up with Cleopatra and boarded her ship. Though angry at Cleopatra, the two reconciled and fled towards Egypt. Briefly pursued by a few of Octavian's ships, they made good their escape to Egypt. Aftermath: As with most battles from this period, precise casualties are not known. Sources indicate that Octavian lost around 2,500 men, while Antony's fleet suffered 5,000 killed and over 200 ships sunk or captured. The impact of Antony's defeat was far-reaching. At Actium, Publius Canidius, commanding the ground forces, began retreating and the army soon surrendered. Elsewhere, Antony's allies began deserting him in the face of Octavian's growing power. With Octavian's troops closing in on Alexandria, Antony committed suicide. Learning of her lover's death, Cleopatra killed herself as well.

With the elimination of his rival, Octavian became the sole ruler of Rome and was able to begin the transition from republic to empire. Selected Sources Battle of Actium | Tumblr Battle of Actium Grid View List View Marc Antony: So then after the Battle of Actium I thought my girlfriend had killed herself so I took my own sword and stabbed myself to death. But it turns out she hadn’t killed herself, but later she committed suicide with a poisonous asp. Tommy Wiseau: Ha! Ha! That is funny story Marc. (throws football) Assassin (Cleopatra) The last active Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt who believed herself to be the reincarnation of the goddess Isis. She was considered extremely beautiful and seduced both Mark Anthony and Julius Caesar. She eventually allied with Anthony after Caesar’s assassination and after Anthony’s defeat at the battle of Actium was said to have committed suicide by poisoning herself with an asp. She would be succeeded by her son Caesarion, who was said to be the son of Julius, for a very brief time.

Her full name was Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator and her appearance in Fate/Grand Order seems to somewhat resemble a certain Super High School Level Nurse… Reblog Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, (born 63 bc?—died March, 12 bc, Campania [Italy]), powerful deputy of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. He was chiefly responsible for the victory over Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium in 31 bc, and during Augustus’ reign he suppressed rebellions, founded colonies, and administered various parts of the Roman Empire. Of modest birth but not a modest man, Agrippa was disliked by the Roman aristocracy. In his own interest he scrupulously maintained a subordinate role in relation to Augustus, but he felt himself inferior to no one else. Virtually nothing is known of his early life until he is found as the companion of Octavian (the future emperor Augustus) at Apollonia, in Illyria, at the time of Julius Caesar’s murder in 44. Octavian, the adopted son of Caesar, returned with Agrippa to Italy to make his political claim as Caesar’s heir.

In 43 Agrippa is thought to have held the office of tribune of the plebs; presumably in this capacity he prosecuted the tyrannicide Cassius, then absent in the East. In the struggle for power after Julius Caesar’s death, Agrippa served as one of Octavian’s key military commanders. In 41–40 he fought against Mark Antony’s brother Lucius. In 40 he held the post of praetor urbanus (magistrate mainly in charge of administration of justice at Rome) and was a major figure in negotiating a settlement between Octavian and Antony at Brundisium. During the next two years he was away on campaigns in Aquitania and on the Rhine River. When he returned to Italy, he conspicuously refused to celebrate a triumph for his successes in the north, but in 37 he held the office of consul. In the spring of 37 Octavian and Antony came to an agreement at Tarentum, and it must have been then that Antony arranged the marriage of Agrippa to the daughter of Titus Atticus, a wealthy friend of Cicero.

Octavian’s efforts to resist at sea the son of the republican general Gnaeus Pompey, Sextus Pompeius, had not met with success. Agrippa therefore took charge of the operations. He constructed a fine harbour at Puteoli in the Bay of Naples and then won, in 36, two decisive naval victories (at Mylae and Naulochus), ending the threat from Pompeius. For this achievement Agrippa was awarded a golden crown. In 35–34 Octavian waged a vigorous campaign in Dalmatia, and in this Agrippa had a distinguished military role. In 33 Agrippa served as curule aedile (magistrate of public buildings and works) at Rome, even though it was a much lower post than the consulate that he had already held. He used the opportunity to win favour for Octavian by spending his own funds lavishly on building baths, cleaning sewers, and improving the water supply. When Octavian and Antony finally came into direct conflict at the Battle of Actium in 31, Agrippa commanded the fleet and was primarily responsible for Octavian’s victory.

During Octavian’s absence from Rome after Actium, Agrippa managed affairs in the city together with Maecenas, the great patron of poets. In 29–28 Agrippa and Octavian jointly conducted a census and carried out a purge of the Senate; in 28 and 27 Agrippa held the consulate again, both times with Octavian (from 27, Augustus) as his colleague. In 23, a year of constitutional crisis, Augustus fell ill and presented his signet ring to Agrippa, who seemed thus to be designated the emperor’s successor. Agrippa took Augustus’ daughter Julia as his wife after divorcing a niece of Augustus (Marcella the Elder), who had replaced Atticus’ daughter as his wife some four or five years previously. Agrippa went immediately to Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, from which he administered affairs in the East. The nature of Agrippa’s constitutional power (imperium) at this time is controversial. It has been argued whether the Senate in 23 gave him an imperium greater than that of any other provincial governor in the East (imperium majus).

After Augustus’ death Roman historians claimed that Agrippa’s sojourn at Mytilene was a kind of exile as a result of Augustus’ preference for his own nephew Marcellus. This appears implausible. Agrippa was soon back in Rome to act on behalf of the emperor, who himself left for the East in 22. Before Augustus’ return, in 19, Agrippa had left for Gaul and Spain. In Spain he finally subdued the recalcitrant Cantabrians. Returning to Rome in 18, Agrippa received the power of a tribune (tribunicia potestas), which Augustus also possessed. Perhaps, too, he received an imperium majus, if he had not been granted it in 23. He participated in Augustus’ celebration of the Secular Games at Rome in 17, after which he returned to the East as vicegerent of the emperor. In 15 he accepted an invitation from Herod I the Great to visit Judaea; while in the East, he established colonies of veterans at Berytus and Heliopolis, in Lebanon.

He next settled an uprising in the Bosporan kingdom on the Black Sea and set up the cultivated dynast Polemo as king. Herod led a fleet to support Agrippa in the Bosporan affair, and, when it was over, the two traveled together along the coast of western Asia Minor. In 13 Agrippa’s tribunicia potestas was renewed, and at this time without doubt he received (or had renewed) a grant of imperium majus. Troubles in Pannonia required his presence, but the rigours of the winter of 13–12 caused a fatal illness; he died in March of 12 bc. Augustus delivered a funeral oration in honour of his colleague; a fragment of that oration, in Greek translation, has recently come to light. Agrippa deserved the honours Augustus heaped upon him. It is conceivable that without Agrippa, Octavian would never have become emperor. Rome remembered him for his generosity in attending to aqueducts, sewers, and baths; and in the mid-20s he completed the celebrated Pantheon.

One of Agrippa’s five children by Julia, Agrippina the Elder, was the mother of one emperor (Caligula) and the grandmother of another (Nero). Agrippa’s autobiography is lost, but an extensive geographical commentary that he wrote influenced the extant works of the geographer Strabo and of Pliny the Elder. Loading... Show more notes Reblog On the morning of this day in history, September 2nd, in 31 B.C., the Battle of Actium was fought between the combined forces of Cleopatra VII and her husband, Marc Antony, and those of Octavian. The Battle was a decisive victory for Octavian; many of Antony’s ships were undermanned due to a malaria outbreak among his troops and one of his generals had defected to the other side before the battle began and told Octavian his battle strategy. After their defeat, Antony and Cleopatra retreated to Alexandria with what was left of their forces. Octavian pursued them there, and many more of Antony’s men would desert him and join with the forces of Rome. The couple were ultimately defeated the following year, and both would then famously take their own lives.

Mega Essays - Battle Of Actium i claudius 4th Emperor of Rome was Claudius - he did right history but they got lost.Agrippa (Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa) - 64-12BC. Most famous for the Battle of Actium (western coast of Greece) 31 BC, where Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated in a naval battle. 24 BC - 7th Anniversary of The Battle of Acti... Wordcount: 918 Letter to Octavian Dear Octavian,When Lepidus retired, why did you choose to take the west and not the east? What strategies did you use to defeat Marc Antony and win the Battle of Actium to become the sole Dictator? Did it feel invigorating to know that you had earned even more power than Julius Caesar? You then w... Wordcount: 334 Augustus Augustus Caesaar is known as one of the most prominent and capable leaders in Roman history. Born as Gaius Octavius Thurnius, Augustus became a member of the Second Triumvirate.

He eventually defeated the army of his fellow Triumvirate member, Marcus Antonius and became sole ruler of Rome. Octavius ... Wordcount: 1536 Augustus Caesar Augustus CaesarIn ancient history there have been many great leaders who have come to the forefront to save the Roman Empire from destruction and demise. The leaders and heroes of the Roman Empire are countless, but one leader stands out from all the rest. Augustus Caesar's contributions to Roman ... Wordcount: 2324 Historical Problems on Augusts Brian TomoryHIST 3November 13, 2001First DraftHistorical Problems in the Original Works on Caesar AugustusAs a history student progresses through his/her studies, there reaches acertain point where the student achieves an adequate level of advancement. Ahistory student or any student for that matt... Wordcount: 2116 octavius Gaius Octavius, the great-nephew of Julius Caesar, was born in Rome on the 23rd of September, 63 BC (Southern 1).

After Julius Caesar's death on the Ides of March in 44 BC, a struggle for power in Rome ensued, even though 18 year old Octavian was the heir. Marc Antony, a good friend of Julius Caesar... Wordcount: 1192 Virgil at Odds While on the surface the Aeneid could be seen as a Roman epic meant to glorify Rome and rival those of the ancient Greeks, the author was engaged in a struggle. Virgil had to satisfy the cultural demands of his work, the political demands of his time, and his own personal demands as an artist. In ... Wordcount: 2205 Cleopatra The film Cleopatra is one of the most expensive and most involved films of all time. It was a major undertaking by Hollywood, and the end result was a classic that is still enjoyed by people today. The film opens with the narrator informing the audience that Julius Caesar is ruler of Rome, after w... Wordcount: 1473 cleopatra Cleopatra Vll was born in 69 BC, in Alexandria, Egypt. Despite what people say today, that she was glamorous and beautiful, she was far from it.

She is shown on ancient coins with a long hooked nose and masculine features. Although she was not beautiful she was clearly a very seductive woman, and sh... Wordcount: 1889 Rise of ancient roman Empire Rise of the ancient Roman Empire by MARIOAncient Roman Empire Rome had a war god in its lineage and wolf milk in itsbelly, implying that its citizens had a knack for warfare, which they would prove againand again. Early in Rome's history, the city was conquered by the Etruscans, the mostnotable civ... Wordcount: 1575 Ancient Rome The Romans have had almost every type of government there is. They've had a kingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire. Their democracy would be the basis for most modern democracies. The people have always been involved with and loved their government, no matter what kind it was. They loved... Wordcount: 4405 Alexander the Great ALEXANDER THE GREAT ALEXANDROS PHILIPPOU MAKEDONON (356-323 BC). More than any other world conqueror, Alexander III of Macedon, or ancient Macedonia, deserves to be called the Great.

Although he died before the age of 33, he conquered almost all the then known world and ... Wordcount: 2249 Caligula2 Caligula: The Madness of a GoatMany studies have been made on the emperor Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, or "Caligula." He was professed to be the maddest, and cruelest of all Roman emperors. As emperor, Caligula put the imperial treasury in severe debt, performed acts of insanity, and committed ... Wordcount: 2280 Roman Law The Romans have had almost every type of government there is. They've had a kingdom, a republic, a dictatorship, and an empire. Their democracy would be the basis for most modern democracies. The people have always been involved with and loved their government, no matter what kind it was. They loved... Wordcount: 4653 Battle of Actium Antony and Cleopatra vs Augustus By N.S. Gill's Ancient/Classical History Glossary Updated February 19, 2016. Definition: Without the Battle of Actium, there might not have been a Roman emperor. The battle is that important.

The Battle of Actium was also an important turning point in the history of the relationship between Egypt and Rome. When Octavian (later known as the Emperor Augustus) met the combined Roman forces of Mark Antony and the Egyptian forces of Cleopatra , Roman forces faced Roman (and allied) forces, pretty evenly matched. The fighting continued throughout the day of September 2, 31 B.C., until, inexplicably, Cleopatra took her troops and left the naval battle. Mark Antony, leaving his troops behind, followed her. The result was that Octavian, helped by his right-hand man, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa , won the battle. Antony, Octavian and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus had formed what we call the second triumvirate , but by the Battle of Actium, Lepidus had already been exiled. With the defeat and suicide of Mark Antony, all that remained of the triumvirate was Octavian as the leader of Rome.

continue reading below our video Profile of Cleopatra He would soon become Augustus (originally an honor, a title, rather than a name), the princeps (a term from which we get the word "prince"), and the first Roman emperor (a term that comes from the Latin "imperator" a term with which troops hailed a victorious general). [See Pennell's History of Rome .] Go to Other Ancient / Classical History Glossary pages beginning with the letter 10 Most Decisive Ancient Battles - Listverse 10 Most Decisive Ancient Battles Jamie Frater July 31, 2008 Everyone loves a good tale of battles and blood – which is clearly evidenced by the plethora of movies and movie scenes based on them. In this list, instead of just looking at great battles based on numbers or deaths, we are looking at battles that were strategically important or changed the methods of warfare. This list only includes battles from before the time of Christ. Later battles will be the subject of a future list. I have generally avoided describing the actual events of the battles in order to present the overall historical impact. You can use the “source” links to read more on each battle.

This list contains a competition – read more at the bottom of the list. 10 Carrhae 53 BC The Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC was a decisive victory for the Parthian Spahbod Surena (try saying that 10 times fast!) over the Roman general Crassus near the town of Carrhae (now the present-day ruins of Harran, Turkey). A Parthian force of 1,000 cataphracts and 9,000 horse archers under general Surena met the Romans at Carrhae. Crassus’ cavalry was screening ahead of the main force when they were engaged by the cataphracts, and the weapons his cavalry employed were not capable of piercing the cataphracts armor. His cavalry was soon surrounded and routed, and his son Publius killed. Rome was humiliated by this defeat, and this was made even worse by the fact that the Parthians had captured several Legionary Eagles. It is also mentioned by Plutarch that the Parthians found the Roman prisoner of war that resembled Crassus the most, dressed him as a woman and paraded him through Parthia for all to see.

The capture of the golden Aquilae (legionary battle standards) by the Parthians was considered a grave moral defeat and evil omen for the Romans. It required a generation of diplomacy before the Parthians returned them. An important and unexpected implication of this battle was that it opened up the European continent to a new and beautiful material: silk. However, the most immediate effect of the battle was that Carrhae was an indirect cause for the fall of the Republic, and the rise of the Empire. [ Source ] 9 Pydna 168 BC The Battle of Pydna in 168 BC between Rome and the Macedonian Antigonid dynasty represents the ascendancy of Rome in the Hellenic/Hellenistic world and the end of the Antigonid line of kings, whose power traced back to Alexander III of Macedon. It is often considered to be the classic example of the Macedonian phalanx against the Roman legion, and generally accepted as proving the superiority of the latter over the former. This was not the final conflict between the two rivals, but it broke the back of Macedonian power. The political consequences of the lost battle were severe.

The Senate’s settlement included the deportation of all the royal officials and the permanent house arrest of Perseus. The kingdom was divided into four republics that were heavily restricted from intercourse or trade with one another and with Greece. There was a ruthless purge, with allegedly anti-Roman citizens being denounced by their compatriots and deported in large numbers (300 000). [ Source ] 8 Ipsus 301 BC The Battle of Ipsus was fought between some of the Diadochi (the successors of Alexander the Great) in 301 BC near the village of that name in Phrygia. Antigonus I Monophthalmus and his son Demetrius I of Macedon were pitted against the coalition of three other companions of Alexander: Cassander, ruler of Macedon; Lysimachus, ruler of Thrace; and Seleucus I Nicator, ruler of Babylonia and Persia. The battle opened with the usual slowly intensifying skirmishing between the two armies’ light troops, with elephants eventually thrown into the fray by both sides. Efforts were made by both sides to hamstring the enemy’s elephants, but also had to hang back to protect their own.

Demetrius’ superior right-flank cavalry drove Antiochus’ wing back, but was halted in his attempted rear blow by Seleucus, who moved the elephant reserve to block him. More missile troops moved to the unprotected Antigonid right flank, as Demetrius was unable to disengage from the elephants and enemy horse to his front. At the beginning of the day, Antigonus had not been able to wear plate armor; this disadvantage was unexpectedly used by an anonymous allied peltast, who killed him with a well-thrown javelin. Without leadership and already beginning to flee, the Antigonid army completely disintegrated. The last chance to reunite the Alexandrine Empire had now passed. Antigonus had been the only general able to consistently defeat the other Successors; without him, the last bonds the Empire had had began to dissolve. Ipsus finalized the breakup of an empire, which may account for its obscurity; despite that, it was still a critical battle in classical history and decided the character of the Hellenistic age.

[ Source ] 7 Gaugamela 331 BC The Battle of Gaugamela took place in 331 BC between Alexander the Great of Macedonia and Darius III of Achaemenid Persia. The battle, which is also inaccurately called the Battle of Arbela, resulted in a massive victory for the Macedonians. While Darius had a significant advantage in numbers, most of his troops were of a lower quality than Alexander’s. Alexander’s pezhetairoi were armed with a six-meter spear, the sarissa. The main Persian infantry was poorly trained and equipped in comparison to Alexander’s pezhetairoi and hoplites. After the battle, Parmenion rounded up the Persian baggage train while Alexander and his own bodyguard chased after Darius in hopes of catching up. As at Issus, substantial amounts of loot were gained following the battle, with 4,000 talents captured, as well as the King’s personal chariot and bow. The war elephants were also captured. In all, it was a disastrous defeat for the Persians, and possibly one of Alexander’s finest victories. At this point, the Persian Empire was divided into two halves – East and West.

Bessus murdered Darius, before fleeing eastwards. Alexander would pursue Bessus, eventually capturing and executing him the following year. The majority of the existing satraps were to give their loyalty to Alexander, and be allowed to keep their positions, however, the Persian Empire is traditionally considered to have fallen with the death of Darius. [ Source ] 6 Marathon 490 BC The Battle of Marathon during the Greco-Persian Wars took place in 490 BC and was the culmination of King Darius I of Persia’s first full scale attempt to conquer the remainder of Greece and incorporate it into the Persian Empire, which would secure the weakest portion of his western border. The longest-lasting legacy of Marathon was the double envelopment. Some historians have claimed it was random rather than a conscious decision by Miltiades – the Tyrant of the Greek Colonies. In hoplitic battles, the two sides were usually stronger than the center because either they were the weakest point (right side) or the strongest point (left side). However, before Miltiades (and after him until Epaminondas), this was only a matter of quality, not quantity.

Miltiades had personal experience from the Persian army and knew its weaknesses. As his course of action after the battle shows (invasions of the Cyclades islands), he had an integrated strategy upon defeating the Persians, hence there is no reason he could have not thought of a good tactic. The double envelopment has been used ever since, such as when the German Army used a tactic at the battle of Tannenberg during World War I similar to that used by the Greeks at Marathon. [ Source ] 5 Cynoscephalae 197 BC The Battle of Cynoscephalae was fought in Thessaly in 197 BC between the Roman army, led by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon, led by Philip V. This Macedonian defeat marks the passing of imperial power from the successors of Alexander the Great to Rome.

Along with the later Battle of Pydna, this defeat is often held to have demonstrated that the Macedonian phalanx, formerly the most effective fighting unit in the ancient world, was now obsolete, although in fact the phalanx was able to force the legions back and held their own with swords until twenty maniples fell upon their rear (due to the weak Macedonian flanks and the Roman elephants routing the disordered Macedonian left flank). As a consequence of his loss, Philip had to pay 1,000 talents to Rome, as well as disband his navy and most of his army. He also had to send his son to Rome as a hostage. The battle in many ways determined the subsequent history of the Mediterranean. It also was a major turning point in how wars were fought. The image above is the site of the Battle of Cynoscephalae today. [ Source ] 4 Actium 31 BC The Battle of Actium was the decisive engagement in the Final War of the Roman Republic between the forces of Octavian and those of the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

It was fought on September 2, 31 BC, on the Ionian Sea near the Roman colony of Actium in Greece. Octavian’s fleet was commanded by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, while Antony’s fleet was supported by the fleet of his lover, Cleopatra VII, queen of Ptolemaic Egypt. The victory of Octavian’s fleet enabled him to consolidate his power over Rome and its domains, leading to his adoption of the title of Princeps (“first citizen”) and his accepting the title of Augustus from the Senate. As Augustus Caesar, he would preserve the trappings of a restored Republic, but many historians view his consolidation of power and the adoption of his honorifics flowing from his victory at Actium as the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire. The political consequences of this sea battle were far-reaching. As a result of the loss of his fleet, Mark Antony’s army, which had begun as equal to that of Octavian’s, deserted in large numbers. In a communication breakdown, Antony came to believe that Cleopatra had been captured, and so he committed suicide.

Cleopatra heard the news about Mark Antony and, rather than risk being captured by Octavian, committed suicide herself, on August 12, 30 BC. She allowed herself to be bitten by a poisonous asp that was reportedly hidden for her in a basket of figs. [ Source ] 3 Siler River 73 BC The Third Servile War, also called the Gladiator War, The Battle of Siler River, and The War of Spartacus by Plutarch, was the last of a series of unrelated and unsuccessful slave rebellions against the Roman Republic, known collectively as the Servile Wars. The Third Servile War was the only one to directly threaten the Roman heartland of Italia and was doubly alarming to the Roman people due to the repeated successes of the rapidly growing band of rebel slaves against the Roman army between 73 and 71 BC. The rebellion was finally crushed through the concentrated military effort of a single commander, Marcus Licinius Crassus, although the rebellion continued to have indirect effects on Roman politics for years to come. The Third Servile War was significant to the broader history of ancient Rome mostly in its effect on the careers of Pompey and Crassus.

The two generals used their success in putting down the rebellion to further their political careers, using their public acclaim and the implied threat of their legions to sway the consular elections of 70 BC in their favor. Their actions as Consuls greatly furthered the subversion of Roman political institutions and contributed to the eventual transition of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. [ Source ] 2 Pharsalus 48 BC The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar’s Civil War. On August 9, 48 BC, the battle was fought at Pharsalus in central Greece between forces of the Populares faction and forces of the Optimates faction. Both factions field armies from the Roman Republic. The Populares were led by Gaius Julius Caesar (Caesar) and the Optimates were led by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey). In addition to Pompey, the Optimates faction included most of the Roman Senate. The victory of Caesar weakened the Senatorial forces and solidified his control over the Republic. Pompey fled from Pharsalus to Egypt, where he was assassinated on the order of Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII.

The Battle of Pharsalus ended the wars of the First Triumvirate. The Roman Civil War, however, was not ended. Pompey’s two sons, the most important of whom was Sextus Pompeius, and the Pompeian faction led now by Labienus, survived and fought their cause in the name of Pompey the Great. Caesar spent the next few years ‘mopping up’ remnants of the senatorial faction. After finally completing this task, he was assassinated in a conspiracy arranged by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. [ Source ] 1 Salamis 480 BC The Battle of Salamis, was a decisive naval battle between the Greek city-states and Persia in September, 480 BC in the strait between Piraeus and Salamis Island, an island in the Saronic Gulf near Athens. The Greeks were not in accord as to how to defend against the Persian army, but Athens under Themistocles used their navy to defeat the much larger Persian navy and force King Xerxes I of Persia to retreat. The Greek victory marked the turning point of the campaign, leading to the eventual Persian defeat.

The Battle of Salamis has been described by many historians as the single most significant battle in human history. The defeat of the Persian navy was instrumental in the eventual Persian defeat, as it dramatically shifted the war in Greece’s favor. Many historians argue that Greece’s ensuing independence laid the foundations for Western civilization, most notably from the preservation of Athenian democracy, the concept of individual rights, relative freedom of the person, true philosophy, art and architecture. Had the Persians won at Salamis, it is very likely that Xerxes would have succeeded in conquering all the Greek nations and passing to the European continent, thus preventing Western civilization’s growth (and even existence). Given the influence of Western civilization on world history, as well as the achievements of Western culture itself, a failure of the Greeks to win at Salamis would almost certainly have had seriously important effects on the course of human history. [ Source ] Bonus Competition To celebrate the launch of our new stable service and our new look, we have a competition on this list. The prize is a copy of both of the movies shown above – Spartacus, and 300.

The prize winner will be one randomly selected commenter – as usual you can enter more than one comment to improve your chances, but your comments must add value to this list – that means no comments designed just to have a better chance at winning. The winner must be a registered user of the List Universe. You can click here to register . Good luck! Omissions: Kadesh, Megiddo, Thermopylae (less decisive than Salamis above), Cannae, and Gaixia This article is licensed under the GFDL because it contains quotations from the Wikipedia articles cited above. The Timeline of the Life of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) The Timeline of the Life of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) In the days of Julius Caesar, it was Marcus Antonius who was the second most powerful figure in Roman politics. He was a subordinate to Caesar in the command of his armies and he was an influential figure in Roman politics. By all rational expectations Antonius was the logical figure to succeed Caesar in power. As it turned out that was not to be. Caesar did not choose Antonius to be his heir, apparently knowing Antonius' flaws. Instead Caesar chose his great nephew, Octavian, a teenage student.

Against all odds, 18 year old Octavian not only survived the power struggle with the politically and militarily experienced Antonius, who was in his forties, but defeated Antonius and went on to reorganize and rule the Roman empire for forty years. It reveals the astuteness of Julius Caesar's intellect that he chose Octavian to be his successor rather than Antonius. Timeline 82-81 BCE: Marcus Antonius was born the son of a military commander and the grandson of a noted Roman orator. His mother was related to the family of the Gaius Julius Caesare. 57-54 BCE: Antonius was a cavalry commander for Roman military operations in Egypt and Judea. 54-50 BCE: Antonius joined the military staff of Julius Caesar for the Roman conquest of central and northern Gaul. 51 BCE: Antonius became a quaestor in Roman government. This office was concerned with financial matters. This gave Antonius membership in the Roman Senate. 49 BCE: Antonius becomes a tribune of the people, an office with considerable political power, include veto power over legislation passed by the Senate. Civil war breaks out between Caesar and his co-triumvir Pompey.

Antonius flees Rome as a result of serious threats. 49-47 BCE: Caesar make Antonius Master of Horse, military commander of the Roman military in Italy. Marcus Antonius 46 BCE: Caesar takes away Antonius' command in Italy because of dissatisfaction with his rule. 44 BCE: Antonius is elected one of the two consuls of Roman. This was the highest legal administrative office in the Roman government. The actual power was in the hands of Julius Caesar. 44 BCE: On March 15th Julius Caesar is assassinated in the Roman Senate by a cabal of Roman Senators. Caesar's wife, Calpurnia, turns over Caesar's will, papers and funds to Antonius. Caesar's will announces his adoption of his sister's grandson, Octavian, and makes him heir to about three quarters of his fortune. The will also called for a stipend to each citizen of Rome. Caesar's will called for games for the entertainment of the public. Such things require funds, but Marcus Antonius controls Caesar's funds and refuses to grant Octavian access to those funds. Octavian borrowed funds to comply with Caesar's will and his efforts garnered public support for Octavian.

His efforts to fulfill Caesar's will gains him considerable support among the troops of Caesar. 43 BCE: The Roman Senator and noted orator, Cicero, denounces Antonius in 14 public speeches in the Senate. These were known as the Philippics. Cicero repeatedly announces pubically that Marcus Antonius should have been assassinated along with Julius Caesar. Marcus Antonius was defying the will of the Senate and the Senate, led by Circero, called upon Octavian for support against Antonius. The Senate makes Octavian a senator even though he is far too young to qualify. The troops of Octavian joined with troops which the Senate has at its command. The combined forces drove Antonius out of Italy into Gaul. In the battle with Anthony's forces the two elected Consuls of Rome were killed. Octavian's troops demanded that the Senate confer the title of Consul on Octavian. Octavian was officially recognized as the son of Julius Caesar. He then took the name Gaius Julius Caesar (Octavianus). He was more generally known as Octavian during this period. Octavian and Antonius agreed to a sharing of power.

They, along with Lepidus who was the Pontifex Maximus, are designated by the Senate as a Triumvirate with dictatorial powers for five years. Octavian, Antonius and Lepidus agreed to eliminate those Senators and members of the Roman aristocracy whom any one of the three considered a threat to public order. Altogether 300 senators and two thousand lesser level aristocrats are executed. Cicero, a supporter of Octavian, was designated for execution by Antonius under this arrangement. 42 BCE: The Senate deemed Julius Caesar as having been a god. This enhanced Octavian's status still further. Antony and Octavian undertook a military expedition to the east to defeat Brutus and Cassius. In two battles at Philippi the troops of Brutus and Cassius are defeated and Brutus and Cassius kill themselves. The Triumvirate then divide up the Empire. Anthony gets the east and Gaul. Lepidus gets Africa and Octavian gets the west except for Italy which was to be under common control of the three. In Italy Octavian faced a local war where he intended to grant land for settlement to the soldiers of his army.

His forces defeated the local opposition at the city now known as Perugia. The island of Sicily was under the control of the son of Pompey, Sextus Pompeius, which gave him command of the shipping lanes. Octavian tried to defuse conflict with Sextus by entering into a marriage with Scribonia, a relative of Sextus. This ploy did not work. Sextus tried to establish an agreement with Antonius against the interests of Octavian. Antonius rejected Sextus' offer of an alliance. Octavian later divorced Scribonia. 40 BCE: Fulvia, the wife of Marcus Antonius, and his brother rebelled against Octavian in Italy and were killed. Antonius goes to Italy to resolve his relationship with Octavian. The allianace of Octavian and Antonius was renewed and further confirmed by Antonius marrying the sister of Octavian, Octavia. This political marriage also did not endure. Antonius was still enamored of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. The Parthians attack Roman territory in Syria. Antonius and Octavian meet Herod who had been driven out of Judea by the Partians and their allies.

Antonius and Octavian agree to return Herod to power. This is the beginning of a long term friendship of Herod and Antonius. 38 BCE: A lieutenant of Marcus Antonius wins a decisive battle against the Parthians. 37 BCE: Octavian negotiates an arrangement with Antonius in which Antonius supplies Octavian with ships for Octavian's expedition against Sextus in Sicily in return for Octavian supplying troops to Antonius for his proposed invasion of the Parthian empire in the east. The Triumvirate was renewed for another five years. 36 BCE: Octavian was fortunate to have a close and trusted friend from his childhood, Marcus Agrippa, who was a military genius. Under Agrippa's command Octavian's fleet defeated Sextus. Lepidus the member of the Triumvirate who controlled the Roman territories in African attempted to challenge Octavian. Lepidus was defeated but forced into retirement instead of being executed. 35-33 BCE: Octavian with Agrippa fights campaigns in the Balkan peninsula. The formal powers of the Triumvirate end in 33 BCE. 32 BCE: Antonius divorces Octavia, Octavian's sister.

Octavian reveals that Anthonius' will calls for the granting of Roman territory in the east to the children of Cleopatra. Furthermore it reveals plans for transferring the capital of the empire from Rome to Alexandria. The sympathy and allegiance of the Roman public are with Octavian against Antonius. 31 BCE: Antonius decides to bring his forces to the western side of Greece. Cleopatra accompanies him. Octavian sends a military expedition under the command of Agrippa to challenge Antonius' control of Greece. Octavian joins Agrippa and their fleet bottles up the fleet of Antonius and Cleopatra in the Gulf of Ambracia. A naval battle ensues at Actium in which Cleopatra, for fear of being captured, pulls her ships out of the battle and heads back to Egypt thus ensuring the defeat of Anthonius' forces. Anthonius and some of his ships escape from the battle and follow Cleopatra. 30 BCE: Octavian invades Egypt; Anthonius is told falsely that Cleopatra has died. Antonius commits suicide and Cleopatra follows suit in a tragic sequence of events. (See Cleopatra .)

Question: At which decisive battle in 31 BC did the forces of Octavian defeat the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra?
Answer: ACTIUM